1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electronic part module in particular for use with electrical devices such as vehicle electrical junction boxes. More specifically, the invention relates to an electronic part module provided with an electronic part substrate having an insulating panel to which a plurality of bus bars, which is electrically connected to a plurality of electronic parts respectively and has an external terminal-connecting portion for electrically connecting an external terminal, is attached
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 15 shows a perspective view of a conventional electronic part module. For more detail, see JP 2005-210804 A. The conventional electronic part module 316 includes a pair of relay-connecting units 311, 315, which are opposed to each other.
In the relay-connecting unit 311, two relays 302 are mounted to a bus bar substrate 301, which includes an insulating panel 305, and a plurality of bus bars 306 arranged on the surface of the insulating panel 305. In the relay-connecting unit 315, two relays 304 are mounted to a bus substrate 303, which includes an insulating panel 312, and a plurality of bus bars 313 arranged on the surface of the insulating panel 312. Each one end portion of the plurality of bus bars 306, 313 extends beyond one edge of the insulating panels 305, 312, and functions as an external terminal-connecting portion 306c, 313c, thereby forming a connector-connecting portion.
The electronic part module 316 is received in a main body of a box such as an electrical junction box and ECU box, and each external terminal-connecting portion 306c, 313c of the bus bars 306, 313 extends into a housing thereby forming the connector-connecting portion into which a connector of a wiring harness and so on is inserted or fitted.
The above electronic part module 316 is disposed such that the external terminal-connecting portion 306c, 313c and the relays 302 and 304 are respectively aligned or arranged in a direction in which the external terminal-connecting portions 306c, 313c extend from the insulating panels 305, 312 respectively. In other words, the direction can be defined by a direction in which the connector is inserted or fitted into the connector-connecting portion. For the above reason, the dimension of the electronic part module 316 along the above direction is made equal to the sum of the lengths of the relay 302, 304 and the length of the external terminal-connecting portion 306c, 313c. The electronic part module 316 has been needed to be further downsized.